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Norton Stresses Her Seniority, Qualifications for Oversight Chair

October 29, 2019

Norton Supports Maloney’s Seniority

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who is second in seniority on the House Oversight and Reform Committee, said today that she is supporting seniority, but that she will seek the position of Chair if Acting Chair Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), who outranks Norton in seniority on the committee, withdraws from consideration.

"Congresswoman Maloney is next in seniority to chair the Oversight and Reform Committee, and for that reason, I will not challenge my friend's seniority," Norton said. "However, I have served on the Committee for over 20 years and, given my legal background as a tenured professor of law with broad experience on the committee, I will seek to become chair should Congresswoman Maloney choose not to pursue the chair. As the first woman to chair the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, I had jurisdiction over federal agencies, a major component of the committee's jurisdiction. I have chaired and/or served on 18 separate Oversight subcommittees, which reinforces my current work on the closed-door impeachment inquiry depositions in progress. In his absence, Chairman Elijah Cummings designated me the chair of the hearing on D.C. statehood held on September 19th, as I have filled the chair for numerous other hearings.

"I believe I have a strong case to make to leadership and members should I choose to run."